Healing Before Co-Parenting: Letting Go of the Hurt
Healing Before Co-Parenting: Letting Go of the Hurt
What happens when a relationship ends, but your responsibility to parent together doesn't?
In this episode of Taboo Talks with Krystal, Krystal Casey sits down with co-parenting coach Clover Taylor-Johnston for an honest conversation about breakups, shame, healing, and learning how to move forward when children are involved.
Clover’s journey began with a deeply painful chapter. In the aftermath of Hurricane Gilbert, she found herself abandoned by her then-husband while raising two young daughters—one only four weeks old and the other four years old.
What could have defined her became the beginning of a much bigger journey.
Through faith, personal growth, and a commitment to healing, Clover began rebuilding her life. Today, as a mother of three adult daughters, she uses what she learned to help others navigate the emotional realities of breakups and co-parenting.
You Can’t Co-Parent From an Unhealed Place
One of the biggest themes of this conversation is that successful co-parenting starts with doing your own healing.
A breakup can bring grief, anger, rejection, shame, and questions about what went wrong. When those emotions remain unresolved, they can influence how we communicate, react, and make decisions with a former partner.
Healing doesn't mean pretending the hurt never happened. It means learning how to stop allowing that hurt to control what happens next.
As Clover reminds us, it’s hard to be fruitful while holding onto what’s hurtful.
Releasing Shame After a Breakup
The end of a relationship can easily become intertwined with our identity.
We may blame ourselves. We may wonder what we should have done differently. We may even carry embarrassment or shame about the relationship ending.
But moving forward requires separating what happened to you from who you are.
Clover and Krystal explore how releasing shame can create room for growth and allow parents to show up differently—not only for themselves, but for their children.
Understanding the 5 F’s of Breakup
Clover also introduces her 5 F’s of Breakup, a framework designed to help people better understand how they respond to separation and the emotions surrounding it.
Recognizing these patterns can be an important part of moving from simply reacting to intentionally choosing how you want to handle the next chapter of your life.
Healing Changes More Than You
Perhaps one of the most important reminders from this episode is that healing has a ripple effect.
When children are involved, working through your own pain can influence the environment they grow up in, the relationships they witness, and the patterns they may eventually carry into adulthood.
Healing isn't simply about letting go of the past.
It's about creating space for what comes next.
Whether you're navigating co-parenting, recovering from heartbreak, releasing shame, or simply trying to show up differently than you did yesterday, every step forward matters.
As Krystal reminds the Phoenix Collective: keep breaking those cycles, keep showing up for yourself, and remember that the work you're doing today can help create a brighter future for you and your family.
Listen to Ep. 224 — Healing Before Co-Parenting: Letting Go of the Hurt with Clover Taylor-Johnston
🔗https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RYGraHoKnU4s3EuI1gDhr?si=gr7vzCDkSD6f8Oqv7R00mQ
Connect with Clover Taylor-Johnston
Follow Clover on Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/coparentingcoachclover?stkn=ODRpZjF3dWNocWQ3
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode
🔗https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RYGraHoKnU4s3EuI1gDhr?si=gr7vzCDkSD6f8Oqv7R00mQ
💫 Want to Share Your Story on Taboo Talks?
If you have a story of healing, resilience, or transformation, Taboo Talks is currently accepting guest applications. Apply here:
👉 https://krystalcasey.com/links
